Usain Bolt ready to cash in on build-up to World Championships

Usain Bolt is set to become the most expensive track and field athlete with promoters expected to pay more than ever before for the triple Olympic champion to grace their meetings next summer.

Prize guys: Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva (left) and Jamaica's Usain Bolt display their IAAF World Athlete of the Year trophies at the annual global awards in MonacoPhoto: REUTERS

By Tom Knight in Monte Carlo

7:25PM GMT 23 Nov 2008

One European promoter said Bolt's price could hit $200,000 (£134,000) as he picks his races in the build up to next summer's World Championships in Berlin.

According to Ricky Sims, the London-based agent who has looked after Bolt's programme since 2004, the money pouring into his bank account since his three gold medals and three world records in Beijing has "probably made him a millionaire but not a wealthy man compared to the likes of David Beckham, Tiger Woods and Roger Federer".

Top marathon runners remain the big earners in athletics and Sims maintained that the Jamaican's focus would have to remain fixed on his career as the world's fastest man before he can begin to accrue real wealth.

Sims added: "Usain is still at the start of his career and we want him to go on at this level to London Olympics.

"We want first and foremost to keep him as an athlete. In 2013, he can take up the opportunities open to him and yes he could become the first 10 million dollar athlete.

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"But if he finishes fifth at the world champs, you guys won't want to speak to him so it is important that training is his main focus."

As expected, the 22-year-old Bolt was the centre of attention here as the athletics world gathered for the International Association of Athletics Federations' end-of-year gala.

Nor was it a surprise that the affable and laid back Jamaican and the Russian pole vaulter, Yelena Isinbayeva were named world athletes of the year at last night's glittering awards ceremony at the Sporting Club d'Ete, where their trophies came with a cheque for $100,000.

The key to Bolt's future success will be his ability to knuckle down to hard training after weeks of promotional work, foreign travelling and a return to the party lifestyle he once enjoyed a little too much.

Bolt appears immune to most of the trappings of his new-found fame and fortune but admitted that his lifestyle had come in for added scrutiny from the Jamaican public.

"I don't party so much now but I still go out. Some people in Jamaica don't like it.

"They're proud of me and think I should be doing track and field all day, every day. That's just Jamaica.

"People say I can't run fast and go out too much but I've shown them that's not true.

"But I am a role model so have to watch myself. It's difficult sometimes but I can control myself."

There was a timely reminder for Bolt earlier in the weekend from Dayron Robles, the world record holder and Olympic 110 metres hurdles champion.

Asked about how he will motivate himself for the coming season, Robles said: "Longevity is much harder to achieve than any gold medal. My aim is to stay at the top for as long as possible."

Bolt's promotional commitments meant he missed several weeks of training after his return to Jamaica from the European track season.

He stressed, however, that Jan 1 would mark his return to full-time training with his coach, Glen Mills.

Any attempt to keep Bolt on the conventional path to further success will have to take into account his unusual approach to life as a professional athlete.

Asked for his outstanding memory of the Beijing Olympics, he said it was the night he stayed up until 4am "laughing and joking" with his room mate, the decathlete, Maurice Smith.

Was this after he had won his three gold medals? Not likely. "Uh, no," said Bolt. "It was between the 100m and 200m."